University Illinois Urbana Illinois CR Childs Mechanical Engineering Laboratory Real Photo Postcard

The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory in Urbana, Illinois, was a prominent facility associated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Constructed in 1905 and designed by Nathan C. Ricker and James M. White, this building housed advanced equipment and served as a crucial center for instruction and research in mechanical engineering during the early 20th century. Its distinctive smokestack indicates it likely contained powerful steam-driven machinery and experimental setups, essential for the era's industrial and technological progress.